Automatic HDRI generation of dynamic environments

of the human shapes (inset). (b) HDRI generation using the presented method, HCM is removed using a variance image, VI. (c) HDRI of a dynamic scene (larger image) with LCM (leaves). (d) HDRI after LCM removal using an uncertainty measure, UI. (e, top) VI segmentation. (e, bottom) UI segmentation.

Linking an integrated framework with appropriate methods for measuring QoE

Quality of Experience (QoE) has recently gained recognition for being an important determinant of the success of new technologies. Despite the growing interest in QoE, research into this area is still fragmented. Similar - but separate - efforts are being carried out in technical as well as user oriented research domains, which are rarely communicating with each other. In this paper, we take a multidisciplinary approach and review both user oriented and technical definitions on Quality of Experience (including the related concept of User Experience). We propose a detailed and comprehensive framework that integrates both perspectives. Finally, we take a first step at linking methods for measuring QoE with this framework

Een doctoraat in de sociale wetenschappen: wat is het waard?

In deze bijdrage van de Human Resources in Research (HR2) – reeks wordt ingezoomd op uitgestroomde doctoraathouders in de sociale wetenschappen en wordt een antwoord geschetst op volgende vragen: hoe ervaarden ze de overstap naar een niet-academische werkomgeving? Welke vaardigheden zijn hierbij van pas gekomen en welke hebben ze gemist? Is de meerwaarde van het doctoraat vooral persoonlijk of heeft het hen ook geholpen bij hun carrière? Wat is hun mening over de investeringen die gedaan worden in doctoraten en wat is hun visie op maatschappelijk relevant onderzoek? We schetsen een aantal carrièrepaden per wetenschapsgebied. Er wordt hierbij gebruik gemaakt van een kwalitatieve onderzoekstechniek, namelijk focusgroepen bij zowel doctoraatsstudenten die algauw voor de keuze staan om aan de universiteit te blijven of uit te stromen en doctoraathouders die recent of al een tijd geleden zijn uitgestroomd. Dit rapport dient als blikverruimer voor een aantal problematieken waar doctoraathouders in de sociale wetenschappen voor staan wanneer ze de overstap maken. Hierop wordt dieper ingegaan in verder onderzoek waarbij specifieke beleidsaanbevelingen zullen gedaan worden

Evaluation of the SD FK70 Malaria Ag Plasmodium vivax rapid diagnostic test in a non-endemic setting

© 2009 Gillet et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Licens

Variability in hospital costs of adult spinal deformity care

Objective: To calculate the total clinical hospital cost of the Adult Spinal Deformity (ASD) care trajectory, to explain cost variability by patient and surgery characteristics, and to identify areas of process improvement opportunities. Summary of background data: ASD is associated with a high financial and clinical burden on society. ASD care thus requires improved insights in costs and its drivers as a critical step toward the improvement of value, i.e., the ratio between delivered health outcome and associated costs. Methods: Patient characteristics and surgical variables were collected following ethical approval in a cohort of 139 ASD patients, treated between December, 2014 and January, 2018. Clinical hospital costs were calculated, including all care activities, from initial consultation to 1 year after initial surgery (excl. overhead) in a university hospital setting. Multiple linear regression analysis was performed to analyze the impact of patient and surgical characteristics on clinical costs. Results: 75.5% of the total clinical hospital cost (€27,865) was incurred during initial surgery with costs related to the operating theatre (80.3%), nursing units (11.9%), and intensive care (2.9%) being the largest contributors. 57.5% of the variation in total cost could be explained in order of importance by surgical invasiveness, age, coronary disease, single or multiple-staged surgery, and mobility status. Revision surgery, unplanned surgery due to complications, was found to increase average costs by 87.6% compared with elective surgeries (€ 44,907 (± € 23,429) vs. € 23,944 (± € 7302)). Conclusion: This study identified opportunities for process improvement by calculating the total clinical hospital costs. In addition, it identified patient and treatment characteristics that predict 57.5% of cost variation, which could be taken into account when developing a payment system. Future research should include outcome data to assess variation in value.The KU Leuven grant (C24/17/095) funds were received in support of this work